Refrigerating apparatus



Sept. 17, 1929. c, SPREEN 1,728,578

I I REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Dec- 15, 1924 2 .Sheefs-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

C2265 C Spreezz [nvenor EM c. c. SPREEN REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Sept. 17, 1929.

Filed D60. 15, 1924 Pig 5 14 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M t s CharZes CE Spre n Aftorzzeya.

Patented Sept. 17,1929

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES C. SPREEN, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO KEL'V'INATOR CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

MICHIGAN nnrnrenna'rme APPARATUS A CORPORATION Application filed December 15, 1924. Serial li'o. 755,885.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus of the mechanical type and has for its main object the improvement of such devices in point of rapidity ofoperation and thermal efficiency; a secondary object is the provision of a cold storage cabinet in combination with means for precooling the food stuffs which are to be stored therein. Still more limited objects sought by the specific 1 embodiment herein set forth are the provision of asimple, compact, and inexpensive apparatus suitable for the use of comparatively small farms anddairies whereby milk may be chilled quickly by mechanical refrigeration; the provision of a simple and self contained apparatus whereby the milk may be both chilled and stored; the provision of a milk storage apparatus of the mechanically refrigerated type wherein the runnin time of the mechanlsm shall be very smal; the

provision of an apparatus which can be conveniently shipped and assembled; while further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. I

As concerns the general objects of the invention heretofore mentioned, it is pointed out that nearly all mechanical refrigerat ing apparatus as designed for small installations comprise a compressor-condenser-expander system utilizing the latent heat of evaporation of a suitable refrigerant liquid to produce a temperature in. a food compartment lying between about 32 and F., temperatures less than 32 being undesirable because of. possible injury to food stuffs by freezing andtemperatures above 40 being u'ndesirable because of danger of deterioration. In order to increase the idle periods of the operating machinery a brine tank is ordinarily used, the expansion coil being submerged in the brine so that the only access of heat thereto is by way of convection currents in the liquid. However, I have discovered that with the customary compositions of brine and under the normal operatingconditions, the temperature of the brine is brought to or slightly below the reversing temperature, namely the temperature at which the density becomes a maximum and the direction of convection currents is reversed. The result of thls is that as the temperature of the brine approaches this point the convection currents become comparatively feeble, the rate of heat transfer falls accordingly, insufficient heat is conveyed to the expansion coil to produce the eva oration of any substantial quantity of refrigerant, the compressor accordingly draws a high vacuum on its intake slde and moves only a small quantity of refrigerant per minute, with the result that the friction and hysteresis losses become very great in proportion to the refrigeratmg effect produced and the thermal eiiiciericy of the apparatus sufl'ers oorrespondmg y.

One of the important features of my in vent1on, apphcable to general use in domest1c refrigeration, is the provision of means for effecting a mechanical circulation of the cooling liquid so as to effect a morerapid rate of heat transfer at all times and thereby still further decrease the running period and increase the ratio of beneficial work to operating wastes. V I

As concerns the more limited objects sought in connection with the specific embodiments herein illustratedthe following considerations are important? In order to' be kept without deterioration for'any sub stantial length of time, or in order to stand shipment for any substantial distance, milk must have the animal heat removed at the earliest possible moment and afterwards be kept at a comparatively low temperature, 35 the initial removal of the heatbeing the more important consideration. Mechanism. for effecting this by the use of cold water, natural ice, and the like has long been known, but these mechanisms suffer the disadvantage of a comparatively slow rateof before they become suificiently cooled for operation, whereas the farm use requires the employment of a device which neither re-- quires to be operated all night nor .necessitates the farmers arising at an earlier hour than is already forced upon him.

In the drawings accompanying-and forming a part of this application I'have illustrated certain embodiments of my invention wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a. practical dairy cooler constructed in accordance with my invention; Figs. 2. 3, and 4 are vertical, sectional views of brine tanks and circulation systems embodying my improvements; Fig. 5 is a development of one of the valves showing the theory of operation; and Fig. 6 is a detail. Describing the parts by reference characters, denotes a casing or housing of requisite size made of material of low heatconductivitysuch as lumber, plaster board. or insulating composition, preferably of several layers separated by charcoal, cork. paper, mineral wool, cellulose, air spaces or other insulating substances. The particular selection and arrangement or" materials and layers shown in Fig. 2 is merely typical. The casing is provided with a suitable door 2 also of suitable heat insulating qualities and adapted to make a tight closure. Inside the upper part of this cabinet orcas- .ing, upon a suitable shelf or support 3 is located a sheet-metal brine tank t havinsr therein an expansion coil 5 connected with an expansion valve 6 and condenser 7 with which is associated a compressor 8 driven by a suitable electric motor 9 or other prime mover. The expansion valve 6 is connected to the lowermost turns of the condenser by means of a liquid pipe 10 while the terminal turns of the coil 5 are connected by means of the pipe'12 with the inlet side of the compressor. The outlet or high pressure side of the compressor is connected to the topmost turiis of the condenserby means of pipe 14 as shown in Fig. 1. In thepre.

ferred construction the compressor and condenser are carried by a suitable platform 15 mounted on suitable sleepers 16 which project beneath thecasing or housing, thus producing a unitary structure.

Carried by one of the side walls of the casing is a suitable milk chilling device, the

referred form of the same comprising a tures in which are tightly mounted a plurality of horizontal glass tubes 21 forming a kind of ladder excepting that the tubes are preferably Very close together. The end of one of these headers is connected by means of ahorizontal pipe 22 with the outlet of a centrifugal pump 23 whose inlet is connected by a pipe 24 with the brine-tank 4. The opposite end of the other header is connected by a suitable return pipe 25 with the brine tanker. The shaft 27 of the pump projects outside the casing where it is pro-. vided with a pulley 28 which is connected by a belt 29 with a suitable pulley 3O operatively connected to the prime mover. In the present instance I have shown the pulley 30 as carried by the compressor shaft which is driven by the motor at'a reduced speed more convenient for the purpose in view than a direct drive. Preferably the shaft 27 is made of considerable length to reduce the amount of heat loss therealong and its bearing is surrounded by a housing 31 of insulating material carried by the casing wall.

The bottom ot the trough 18 is formed immediately above the glass tubes with a narrow elongated slot 32, and the bottom of the trough 19 is formed with a discharge spout '33. Any suitable refrigerant liquid is used in they compressor-condenser-expandor system, 'preferablysulphur dioxide, although ethyl chloride, ammoiiia, or various hydro-carbons can be employed if desired. The tank 4: is filled with any suitable, low

headers are formed with registering 'aperfreezing point, liquid such as a solution in water of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, glycerine, alcohol, etc. This liquid after having been cooled by the expanding refrigerant is forced by the pump through the cooling tubes 21 over which-the warm milk is permitted to trickle from the trough 18 to the trough 19 whence it is returned to the cans from which it came, these cans being afterwards placed in the bottom part of the cabinet as shown in Fig. 1. The doors of the cabinet being now closed, the operation of the mechanism can be stopped since the cold cans reinforced by the cold brine tank will maintain the temperature inside the casing at an adequately low temperature for more than a day. Electricity when available is always themost convenient power source, but owing to the short length, of time that the device requires to be operated,

a small gasoline engine is entirely satisfactory. I have shown the terminal turns of the expansion coil as wrapped about a thermostat 35 adapted to stop the operation of the mechanism when a sufficiently low temperature is attained, and this in some cases proves to be a. convenient feature, but is not ordinarily necessary.

The circulation system can be arranged in any one of numerous different ways, the

preferred construction being shown in Fig. 4. The expansion" chamber consists of an upright helical coil, located inside a cylindricalchamber or flue 35,slightly but not greatly larger than the coil and having. one or more inlets 36 at the bottom, here shown as extending out into the body of. the tank.

It is not necessary that the flue 35 be located inside the tank 4, and in some 'res 'cts it might be better outside although I lave located it within for greater compactness'and in order to obtain a certain amount of cooling of the brine in case the pump should fail at any time. The pump inlet 24 communicates with the bottom of this coil'so that v the brine is compelled to rise around it and descend inside it, except for such leakage as may existthrough narrow slots between adjacent turns, thereby becoming thorough-- lycooled."

' tion.

I have. shown the pipes. 22 and 25 as connected to valves 37, and, 38 respectively, these being preferably so associated as to .be operated by a single stem 39 and handle 40 which is best located at the side of the casing near the' milk cooler and is here shown as provided with a pointer 41 play ing over an indicator scale 42, (see Fig. 6).

I have-chosen turning plug type of valves for illustration, not because they are best .in practice but because theyare the easiest to illustrate the connections which I advocats, and in order to facilitate understanding Fig. 5 shows an ide'aliz'ed development of the rotatable member of valve 38. The

' casing of thisvalve is connected to the pipe 25 at the port 42, to the body of the tank. at port 43, to the bottom of the flue 35 at port- 44 and to the pump outlet at port 45. The valve 37 has only two ports and is connected between'the pipe 22 and-the pipe 46 which also leads from the pump being branched at 47.

The rotatable member of valve 38 is hol-' low and is formed in its well with ports of varying lengths, port 49 rotating inathe plane of port 42, ports 50 and 51 rotating in the plane of ports 43 and 45, and port 52 rotating in the plane of port 44. --On starting the mechanism the'brine is assumed to be warm and the pointer 'is set at cold. Under this condition the valve 37 is open,- port 49 registers with port 42 and port' 52 registers with port 44. Accordingly the only brine in circulation is that'contained in the pipes and flue, the great mass of warm brine inthe tank taking no part in the circula- The entire power of the apparatus being concentrated on this small quantity of brine the cooler quickly reaches working temperature and very likely begins to freeze the milk or gather frost. Thereupon the attendant turns the pointer more or less toward cool. This leaves the valve 37 still 0 en and the 'port- 49.

because of its, lengt remains in register with the port 42, but. the port 52 is moved more or less out of communication with port 44 and instead thereof port 50 comes into register with port 43 and some. of 'the warmer liquid from the body of the tank is brought into circulation thus, enabling that/to be cooled and preventing over cooling of the milk. .When themilk has all been run through the cooler the handle is turned to 'ofl? whereupon port 49 moves out' of line with port 42, and ports 45 and 43 are connected by way of 50 and 51, valve 37 be ing now turned entirely off. It will be noted .that valve 37' is not necessary except as regards possible leaks in the system, and may be omitted since the other valve alone will control the flow. After the cooler or other extension device has been cut off such as an ice cream freezer) function 0 pump is merely to circulate the brine about the expansion coil, and this is an important function even in the absence of any extension device such as milk coolers. or ice-cream freezers, since the rate of heat transfer is 'the' hastened and the refrigerant caused to port of valve'58 is connected to the extension return pipe 25 and the third portcommunicates with the body of the tank by way of the pipe 59. I have shown valves of thereciprocating type connected to the single stem 60.. Theexpansion coil is housed inside asheet metal flue 61 perforated at one end for ingress of liquid and arranged to guide the same into contact with the ipe turns throughout a large part of its pat Another arrangement is shown in Fig. 2

cated inside the tank, the pump 23 being employed only during the time that the extension apparatusis in o eration.

' I do not limit mysel to the use of a pump of the type illustrated or arranged at the pointshown, nor to the use of a pump in connection with an extension apparatus, whether milk cooler or otherwise, since the mere mechanical agitation of the brine is adyantageous. that by the term brine tank I do not restrict myself to the use of salt solution, since .wherein'the expansion coil 5 is merely lo- It will also be understood the word brine in this art signifies any low freezing point liquid, and the term brine tank denotes any cooling tank no matter what its contents may be. I do not limit myself to locating this tank in the same chamber with the stored food, nor do ll limit myself to locating the expansion coils inside the body of t e tank as herein shown, nor to locating the prime mover upon the same base with the compressor (it is particularly likely to be separate when an internal combustion engine is used), nor to any particular design of condenser, nor in any other respect ek cept as specifically recited in my several claims which I desire may be construed, each independently of the limitations contained in other claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. Dairy apparatus comprising, in combination, an insulated storage chamber, a brine tank in air circulating relation therewith, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion coil operatively connected together and constituting a unitary part of said ap paratus, said expansion COll being located a um o erativel connected to said circulating pipes, and a prime mover operatively connected to said compressor and pump.

2. Dairy apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of horizontal sleepers, a storage chamber carried thereby and having top, bottom and side walls made of material of poor heat conductivity, said sleepers projecting beyond saidchamber at one'side, a brine-tank supported in the upper part oi said chamber, a compressor carried by the projecting portion of said sleeper, a condenser connected to said compressor, an expansion coil connected to said condenser and compressor, a milk cooler located upon the side wall of said chamber opposite the com pressor, circulation pipes connecting said cooler and tank, a pump operatively associated with one of said pipes, and a prime mover operatively. connected with .said compressor and pump, said casing having a door in one of its remaining upright sides.

3. In a device of the character described. the combinatmn' with mechanical refrigeratmg apparatus of the compressor-condenserexpander type, and a prime mover therefor,

of a brinetank, a refrigerating device outside of said brine tank and having brine passages, circulation. pipes connected to said device, a circulating pump. connected to said pipes and to said prime mover, and valve means adapted either to concentrate upon said expander all the brine flowing through said pipes or to divide the flow between the refrigerating device, expander,-and tank.

4. In a dairy cooler, the combination with mechanical refrigerating apparatus of the compressor-condenser-expander type and a prime mover therefor, of a cabinet havin walls of-poor heat conductivity, a brine ta inside said cabinet, a refrigerating device outside said cabinet and having brine passages therein, pipes to said device, a pump operatively connected to said prime mover and 'ipes, and valve means operable exterior y of said cabinet for controlling the circulation of said brine between said tank, pump, refrigerating device, and expander whereby the refrigerating eflect produced by said apparatus can be apportioned. between said refrigerating device and brine tank,

5. hi a device of the character described, the combination with mechanical refrigerating apparatus of the compressor-condenserexpander type and a prime mover therefor, of a brine tank, a flue surrounding the expander and communicating with said brine tank, a refrigerating device outside of said brine tank and having brine passages, pipes to said device, a circulating pump adapted to be driven by said prime mover and having.

one of its ports communicating with said flue, and valves connecting said pipes to the brine tank and to the other port or" said pump.

6. in a device of the character described, the combination with mechanical refrigerating apparatus of the compressor-condenserexpander'type and a prime mover therefor, of a brine tank, a flue surrounding the expander and communicating with said brine tank, a refrigerating device outside of said brine tank and having brine passages, pipes to saiddevice, a circulating pump adapted to be driven by said prime mover and having its inlet port communicating with said flue, returnpi'pes connected with said tank and flue, respectively, and valve means adapted to govern the outflow of brine from said pumps to said device and the inflow of such brine to said tank and flue.

'L In reirigeratin mechanism, in combination, a brine tan a due conununicating therewith, mechanical refrigerating appara-v tus of the compressor-condenser-cxpander type, the expander being located inside said due, a refrigerating device located outside of said tank and having brine passages therein, circulating pipes to said device, a pump connected to said ipes and tank and forming therewith a circulating system including said tank, tine, pump, pipes, and device, a prime mover-for said compressor and pump, and valve means for controlling the flow from said pump and apportioning it between said device, tank, and flue.-

8. ln mechanism of the character described, the combination with a storage chamber having walls of low heat conductiv- 'ity, of two, brine-containin refrigeratin said two devices, valve means for apportioning the flow between said two devices, and a prime mover for said pump and compressor, the expander being located in heat transferring relation with a part of said circulating system.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aifix my ,n

signature.

CHARLES c. SPREEN. 

